PROSPECT — When about 30 children gathered around local author Vince Miller in the Prospect Library last week to hear him read his book, “The Janitor That Says Hellos,” few of them knew what an achievement it was for “Mr. Vince” to read the book, let alone write it.

“My son was born when I was 21 and at age 4 ½ or 5 I tried to read him a book similar to this one,” said Miller. “It took a long time and he corrected an awful lot of it. Him being 5, he didn't care, he was just glad Dad read to him. But it did bother me.”

Miller, a custodian at Moraine Elementary School in Prospect for the past 10 years, and originally from Seaside, Calif., attended school through 12th grade but did not graduate.

“I couldn't read,” said Miller.

He managed to get by. With help from his mother, he applied for his first job and with help from his girlfriend (now his wife) applied for later jobs. A friend read him the questions so he could get a driver's license.

Miller got by on lies. According to Miller, people who cannot read also make excuses, such as, “I'll read that later,” or “I forgot my glasses.”

When he could not read to his son, however, Miller remembered his middle school teacher Mr. Flynn.

“He gave me certain tools that stuck with me and helped me learn to read,” said Miller. “He said you need to read what you like. If you don't read what you like, you'll never enjoy it and be able to.”

Flynn also recommended that when a word in a sentence is unfamiliar, reading the rest of the sentence can provide the word's meaning.

“It works,” said Miller. “And phonics. Don't be afraid to sound it out. If you keep sounding it out, it will eventually click.”

He put these tools to work as an adult, but it still took Miller many years to make progress.

“I started out by reading street signs,” said Miller. “Then I would read the titles on magazines in the doctor's office and the tabloids.”

When Miller was 41, he decided he wanted a high school diploma. He went to his former school district and asked what it would take to graduate. Then, with a tutor, he took on as much school work as possible and studied during the slow hours of his job as a security guard.

“I wanted to graduate,” said Miller. “That was my whole focus.”

At age 42, Miller did it.

Deb McAllister, grants director for the Adult Literacy Program at Butler County Community College, reports that, like Miller, about 14,000 Butler County residents did not graduate from high school or pass the general educational development (GED) tests.

Also like Miller, she said Butler County residents come to the literacy program because they want to be a good role model for their family. They also participate because of their need to improve employment opportunities or because they want to continue their education, but their academic skills are not at a college level.

Free tutoring for adults is available through the program at four locations in the county: Butler County Community College in Butler and at the Cranberry campus, the First United Methodist Church in Butler and in the Grove City area.

“Our mission is to help people who read below a twelfth-grade level, to improve their reading, writing and math skills and, because computers involve reading and often writing, some computer skills as well,” said McAllister.

During the past fiscal year, 235 people participated for 12 hours or more. The program is funded by tax dollars through the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Individuals can call 724-287-8711, Ext 8350, for more information.

After completing a required orientation, some students in the program have a blend of online and in-class work. However, most meet one-on-one with volunteer tutors.

Miller's book is to entertain — not to teach a lesson about literacy — and based on Moraine Elementary. The book begins when a little girl giggles when Mr. Wilson, the janitor, says, “Hellos.”

When Miller wrote and self-published his book, students at Moraine helped him. For example, student Callie Kracht was the illustrator.

“I wanted the kids to be able to turn around sometime in life and say, 'That's me. This book is about the school I went to,'” said Miller.

Miller wanted to prove to himself that he could write the book but didn't expect the resulting positive response.

“The kids were very excited and asked lots of questions,” said Jill Hambley, children's librarian at the Prospect Community Library, after the recent reading at the library at 357 Main St.

“He didn't know how to read. He is an example that you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it,” said Hambley. “You can accomplish your dreams.”